Bill Jayne was at KheSahn when the siege began in January 1968 as a Marine Squad Leader. The Marines were surrounded by thousands of North Vietnamese troops who were equipped with weapons including Mortars and Artillery. The base was hit nearly every day as the enemy dug trenches closer to the base at higher elevations for an expected attack.
The fighting was intense resulting in 10,000 enemy deaths and about 500 Americans Killed in Action. US Aircraft flew over 24,000 missions bombing enemy positions and resupplying the Marines.
I met Bill in 1980. He tells the story of his crucial assistance as we worked our way out of a bitter national controversy over the design by Maya Ying Lin.
Later Bill spent a career administering the Veterans Administration Cemetery Program.
He tells the fascinating story of how and why he rejoined the Catholic Faith.